Breech-loading gun



(mmm R. T. TORKBLSON.

BREBH LOADING GUN.

No. 452,126. Patented May 12, 1891.

@a m ai' www? IIb/58mm, M' 22 f 'f MW UNTTED STATES PATENT Trice,

REINHARD T. TORKELSON, iOF HAlFlELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

BREECH-LOADINGGUN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,126, dated May 12,1891.

Application tiled May 6, 1890. Serial No. 350.782. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REINHARD T. TORKEL- SON, of Hatfield, county ofHampshire, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement inFire-Arms, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on t-he drawingsrepresenting like parts.

My invention relating to lire-arms is shown embodied in a single'barrelbreech-loading shotgun, although it is equally applicable todouble-barrel guns.

The invention relates, mainly, to the hammer mechanism and to theconstruction of the fore-end and guard-sprin The hammer is mainlyinclosed within the frame-work, but is provided with a handleorthumb-pieee projecting throughA a slot in the frame-work, by which thehammeris cocked, the hammerpiece substantially fitting and closing theslot at all times. The hammer is connected with the mainspring by a linkhaving a loose connection at one end that permits the hammer to advanceafter the mainspring has been arrested by a stop, anda lightspringinterposed between the hammer and mainspring causes the hammer -torebound or return to the halfcocked position after the blow has beenstruck to explode the cartridge.

Figure l is a longitudinal section of a gun embodying this inventionwith the parts in normal position, the barrel being closed and thehammer at lialf-cock; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section on a larger scale,showing the barrel-breech in open position and the hammer at fullcock,the barrel-locking mechanism being shown in full lines in normalposition and in dotted lines in proper position for unlocking the barrelto open the breech; Fig. 3, a plan view of the breech-frame and hammer,and Fig. a a perspective view of the iron portion of the fore-end.

The barrel d is provided with the usual lugs d2 d3, working in the mainbreech-frame b, the said lug d2 engaging with and turning upon apivot-pin h2 in the fore part of the breech-frame, with `which the saidlug d2 is retained in engagement. in the usual manner by the foreend c,attached to the barrel. The said fore-end is retained in position on thebarrel by the usual spring-bolt c2, engaging with a lug' a4 on thebarrel, said spring-bolt working ina metallic frame-piece d, (see Fie.4,) fastened in the wooden portion of the foreend by screws d2 d3. Thewooden portion c of the fore-end is provided with an annular tongue orprojection c3, fitting in a corresponding annular groove d'1 in themetal portion d, (see Fig. 4,) and the screw d3 is set at an inclinationto the length of the fore-end, thus tending to draw the wood rearward onthe metal portion, so as to bring the tongue@3 snugly intoits groove,thereby makinga more secure connection between the wood and metallicportions of the fore-end than in the construction usually adopted.

The foreend d is made with a pocket or recess d5 to receive the head ofthe screw d3, said recess having an inclined portion, in which the headof the screw bears. As shown in this instance, the lugs a2 a2 on thegun-barrel are engaged by a sliding-bolt f, operated by thetrigger-guard g, pivoted at Q20, and acted upon by a spring g2, tendingto retain it normally in position to retain the boltf, engaged with thelugs d2 d3, the said bolt having an opening or recess, through which thelug d3 passes.

The trigger-guard is provided with a projection g5, working in a slot inthe bolt f, by which the said bolt is withdrawn when the rear end of thetrigger-arm, provided with the thumb-piece g5, is depressed from thefull to the dotted line position, Fig. 2, and by which the bolt isthrown forward by the action of the spring g2 when the pressure isremoved from the thumb-piece g5, the said spring permitting the bolt toyield when the barrel is closed and throwing the bolt forward as 4soonas the lugs a2 a3 have passed below it.

The barrel is provided with a shell-retractor i', operated by engagementof its shank r2 with the forward end of the breech-frame piece, as willbe readily understood from Figs. 1 and 2. The head portion r of theretractor, which, when in normal position, is unclosed, rests upon ashoulder r3, formed on the locking-lug a3 ot the barrel, thus firmlysupporting the said retractor when the charge is exploded. By thisconstruction the extractor-head can be made longer than when not sosupported without weakening the cartridge-eh amber.

The hammer h, pivoted at h2, works in a recess or chamber b4in thebreech-f rame piece,

which at all times completely incloscs the striking end of the ham incr,and is provided with a slot or opening` through which the thumb-piece orhandle h3 of the hammer projects, said thumbpiece projecting from aportion h4 ofthe hammei-,which is concentric with its pivot, so that thesaid hammer practically lls and closes the slot in the breech-framepiece in all positions of the hammer, although permitting the handle h3to work in said slot, thus producing a very desirable construction andfinish for the firing mechanism of the gun.

The concave curvature of the thumb-piece` h3 is preferably continuedbeyond the point where it would meet the groove h4 of the hammer, andterminates at its forward end in a shoulder h5, which, without making anobjectionable projection, constitutes an efficient indicater to show atonce tothe eye whether the hammer is cocked or not.

The hammer is shown as striking directly upon the cartridge to explodethe same, although it is obvious that substantially the sameconstruction of hammer and frame-work might be employed when aninterposed rin gpin is used.

The hammer is acted upon by a mainspring t', inclosed in the chamber b4and connected with a projecting arm h6 of the hammer by a link 7c,having pivot-pins engaging said hammer-arm and a suitable seat formed inthe end of said mainspring in such manner. that the end of thehammer-arm may approach the end of the mainspring when the latter isarrested by a stop m at the end of the movement by which it has causedthe hammer to strike its blow. The said stop m is adjustable, beingshown as a screw fitted closely in a socket-piece fm2, fastened by a pinm3 in the breech-frame piece, and the said stop is set to arrest themainspring before it has impelled the hammer far enough to explode thecartridge; but after the spring has thus been arrested in the act ofthrowing the hammer the latter continues to move by its momentum, andthus strikes the blow upon the cartridge, the link k in this movementrising slightly in the fork or notch at the end of the mainspring inwhich its pivot-pin is seated. A light spring n, interposed between theend of the mainspring and the hammer-arm, tends to throw the hammerarml'tG back after the momentum of the hammer has been arrested by strikingthe cartridge, and the mainspringstop m is so set that when the spring nis expanded it will carry the hammer back to half-cocked position, or sothat its first notch k7 will engage with the trigger as soon as that isreleased after the gun has been fired.

The trigger o may be of usual construetion, being pivoted at o2 andacted upon by a spring o3, that retains it in engagement with thenotches of the hammer until pulled by the operator. The spring g3, thatacts upon the trigger-guard, is a double-leaved or V-shaped spring, onearm of which presses against a shoulder on the trigger-guard, and

the other arm of which is supported against a cross-piece or bridge h5in 111e frame-work, which stands just at the front of the lug a3 of thegun-barrel and affords additional security in the fastening for thebarrel.

I claiml. The combination, with the hammer, of the mainspring connectedtherewith, the stop limiting movement of the said mainspring in throwingthe hammer, the link connected with said hammer and mainspring, asdescribed, to permit independent advance of the hammer after themainspring is arrested, and the light spring on said link for causingthe hammer to rebound after its independent movement, substantially asdescribed.

2. The fore-end of a gun, comprising `a wooden portion c, having anannular projecting tongue c3 and a metal portion having a correspondinggroove, and the fastening d3, inclined to the length of the saidfore-end, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination of a barrel provided with a fastening-lug of abreech-frame piece and sliding bolt therein, the pivoted triggerguardengaged with said bolt, the spring acting on the said trigger-guard, andthe bridge b5 in said breech-frame piece co-operating' with said springand fastening-lugs, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the breech-frame piece of the gun, provided with aslot at the rear of but not extending to the barrel, wit-h a hammerpivoted in said frame-piece and provided with a handle or projectionextending through said slotl in the said frame-piece, and anindicating-shoulder in front of said handle, the hammer having a portioncurved concentrically with its pivot at the rear of said handle, and acurved portion in front of the indicating portion, said curved portionsrespectively filling and closing the slot in the frame-piece when thehammer is down and cocked, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the wooden portion IOO lIO

c of the fore-end with the metallic portion d, f

provided with a pocket or recess d5, having an inclined portion providedwith a screwhole7 said iron and wooden portions being fastened togetherby an inclined screw having its head seated on the inclined face of saidrecess, substantially as described. 6. The combination of a barrelprovided with a fastening-lug with the breech-frame piece and slidingbolt therein, the pivoted trigger-guard engaged with said bolt, and thedouble-leaved or V-shaped actuating-spring g2 for said trigger-guard,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

' REINHARD T. Witnesses:

F. T. CRAIG, Trios. F. BOWKER.

